How we see the world
Today’s blog features three new books in the Doucette
Library.
First up is This Beautiful Day by Richard
Jackson. This story in rhyme clearly demonstrates who one’s mindset impacts how we react to external forces. In this case, it’s
a very dark, gloomy, stormy day. This does not prevent a group of children from
enjoying themselves bopping along to some tunes on the radio, having a grand
time splashing through some rain puddles until the rain starts to abate. They
join up with some friends and continue the fun as the sky continues to
clear and the sun breaks through. The rhyme is toe-tapping and the
illustrations (by Suzy Lee – I LOVE her work) conveys the free spiritedness of
the kids as they have fun with zippy, drippy watercolour drawings. Great book
for accentuating living in the moment and enjoying circumstances as they
unfold.
Today I Feel…: an alphabet of feelings by Madalena Moniz
continues with looking at an A to Z range of emotions experienced by children
(and all ages really). Here are a few examples:
A is for Adored is illustrated with a full wall of pictures of the same child at varying ages;C is for Curious is playfully conveyed with a child looking into a large, black hole, one of many on the page;I is for Invisible where the same child wears a sweater that matches and blends into the wallpaper on the wall behind him; and so on.
It’s a quiet book that opens up reflective thinking about emotions. This
could also be used for work about the alphabet and modeling this kind of
thinking. Maybe ask the question: What other emotion might represent the letter
A?
My last recommendation, Super Jumbo
by Fred Koehler,
is a fun look at a child elephant who sees himself as a superhero protecting
and aiding those in need. This, unfortunately, isn’t always helpful for those
being ‘saved’. The illustrations are perfect for this story clearly conveying
the intensity our superhero has for saving others as well as the consternation and frustration of the
‘victims’. His best good deed is helping a friend repair a broken wagon and
continuing the day-saving adventures as a daring duo.
I’m recommending all these books for the primary grades.
Enjoy!
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